Hegseth authorizes National Guard troops in D.C. to carry weapons

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has signed an order authorizing roughly 2,000 of the National Guard troops deployed to Washington, D.C. to carry weapons, two U.S. officials told NBC News. In recent weeks, hundreds of National Guardsmen fanned out across the nation’s capital as part of what the White House has framed as an urgent crackdown on crime and lawlessness. The troops in D.C. were previously unarmed. They have mostly been sent out to assist local law enforcement officers in parts of D.C. known for tourism, such as the National Mall.